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Entries open for 2015 Bordeaux-ParisBordeaux-Paris 2014 logo

Entries open for 2015 Bordeaux-Paris

620km "ultracycling marathon" returns next May after this year's revival...
by Simon_MacMichael
Sat, Nov 15, 2014 17:02
2

Organisers of Bordeaux-Paris, revived this year after a 12-year absence, have confirmed that It will return in 2015. Once one of cycling’s most prestigious races, with winners including Tom Simpson and Jacques Anquetil, it is now pitched as “an ultracycling marathon” and this year attracted nearly 1,000 participants.

First held 123 years ago – the winner of the debut edition was a Briton, George Pilkington – the final professional race was held in the late 1980s.

By then, the race saw competitors moto-paced behind a derny on the second half of the 620km route, a luxury not afforded to anyone signing up for next year’s edition, which takes place from 29-31 May.

As in this year’s edition, won by Marc Legrange in a time of 19 hours 52 minutes 49 seconds, three levels of entry are available, and discounts are available on each if booked before 2 February.

The Ultra Rando currently costs €160 and has to be completed in a time between 28 and 60 hours.

The Ultra Raid, which costs €210 and needs to be finished in less than 32 hours.

The Ultra 2 costs €230 and is a two-person relay; with the first leg takes 312km to Martizay, where the second rider takes over for the final 298km.

Entries can be made on the Bordeaux-Paris website, and organisers have produced an infographic showing some facts and figures from this year’s edition.

ultracycling
Bordeaux-Paris
Simon MacMichael

Simon joined road.cc as news editor in 2009 and is now the site’s community editor, acting as a link between the team producing the content and our readers. A law and languages graduate, published translator and former retail analyst, he has reported on issues as diverse as cycling-related court cases, anti-doping investigations, the latest developments in the bike industry and the sport’s biggest races. Now back in London full-time after 15 years living in Oxford and Cambridge, he loves cycling along the Thames but misses having his former riding buddy, Elodie the miniature schnauzer, in the basket in front of him.

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2 comments

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langsett | 9 years ago
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I suppose anyone wanting to ride 600 kms could just sign up for one of the many Audax events, 1

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Potiriadis | 10 years ago
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2 Can't stress strongly enough how much people should give this event a swerve.
The ride - Amazing
The fellow riders - Amazing
The fellow road users - Amazing
People cheering you through villages - Amazing

The Organisers - Horrific

I did this ride with my best mate as a charity fundraiser for the Children's Trust. We trained hard for 6 months and were in a really good place.
The first thing to go wrong was when the organisers moved the start three miles. No small thing trying to get your gear, your bike, and your bike bag three miles across cobbles.
Then none of the food promised in the race instructions appeared. We did the first 198 miles on the gels and bars in our back pockets, and were given one, and only one, plastic cup of tomato soup at the over night stop. This stop had beds for 50 people with, but had almost a 100 bivouacking inside. But there was only one toilet, and one shower.
We set off the following morning with the best of intentions, but after a further 100 miles we had nothing left and had to abandon.
What we noticed was a large number of riders were "supported" with team cars, family, or camper vans. This appears to be a requirement if you want to succeed.
If you are an ultra endurance athlete, then this is probably within your abilities and I wish you well.
If you are a normal sportive rider considering bagging an ultra, you might want to look elsewhere.

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